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Last Updated:January 12, 2026, 13:00 IST
US ambassador Sergio Gor: "I come to this remarkable nation with profound respect and a clear mission: to take the partnership between our two nations to the next level."
US ambassador Sergio Gor said there were incredible opportunities ahead for the two nations. (PTI)
US ambassador Sergio Gor, known to be a key member of President Donald Trump’s inner circle, who is in New Delhi, on Monday said that America was determined to get a trade deal with India.
“As the world adopts new technology, it is essential that India and the United States work hand in hand from the very start of this initiative…You and I have an incredible once in a lifetime opportunity to redefine diplomacy. What it can accomplish could be the most consequential global partnership of this century…," he said.
“No partner is more essential than India. In the months and years ahead, it is my goal as ambassador to pursue a very ambitious agenda. We will do this as true strategic partners, each bringing strength, respect, and leadership to the table," said Gor.
He further said, “… It is great to be here as the United States’ Ambassador. I come to this remarkable nation with profound respect and a clear mission: to take the partnership between our two nations to the next level. This is the intersection between the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largest democracy… During my last dinner with him, President Trump recounted his last visit to India and also his great friendship with the great Prime Minister of India. I hope the President will be visiting us soon, hopefully in the next year or two… President Trump has a habit of calling at 2 in the morning, and with the time difference in New Delhi, it might work out pretty well."
#WATCH | Delhi: After assuming charge as the US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor says, “… No partner is more essential than India. In the months and years ahead, it is my goal as ambassador to pursue a very ambitious agenda. We will do this as true strategic partners, each… pic.twitter.com/0qY9AgRoHw— ANI (@ANI) January 12, 2026
Who is Sergio Gor?
Born in Tashkent in 1986, Gor spent part of his youth in Malta, where his family lived after emigrating in the 1990s. His mother ran a business and held Israeli nationality. In 1999, Gor and his family moved to Los Angeles, where he later attended high school. He earned a BA from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he became active in conservative student politics — founding a chapter of the Young America’s Foundation and joining the College Republicans.
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Sergio Gor’s rise in politics
After college, Gor started as a Republican Committee operative and served as a spokesman and communications aide for several Republican members of Congress, including Steve King, Michele Bachmann, and Randy Forbes. With Senator Rand Paul, he took on progressively senior roles: spokesman, communications director, and deputy chief of staff — gaining deep experience in messaging and political strategy.
“The U.S. values its relationship with India and under the strong leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Modi, I am optimistic about the days ahead for both of our nations." – @USAmbIndia Sergio Gor while delivering his statement to the press during his visit… pic.twitter.com/3j2gvnliw8— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) December 31, 2025
Sergio Gor and Donald Trump
Trump Victory Finance Committee (2020): Gor became the chief of staff, managing fundraising for Donald Trump’s campaign.
Winning Team Publishing (2021): Along with Donald Trump Jr., he co-founded a conservative publishing company that produced books associated with Trump’s political brand.
MAGA Inc. & Super PAC Work: He served as a senior advisor to Trump-aligned groups and led Right for America, a political action committee supporting Trump’s campaigns.
After Trump’s 2025 inauguration, Gor was appointed Director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, a powerful role overseeing federal hiring. In this role, he and his office vetted and placed thousands of government staffers.
His tenure drew attention, including public criticism from figures like Elon Musk, who once called him “a snake" amid political and appointment disputes.
Gor, 38, was sworn in as the US envoy to India in mid-November.
#WATCH | Delhi | Ambassador Sergio Gor assumes charge as the new US Ambassador to India. He says, “… It is great to be here as the United States’ Ambassador. I come to this remarkable nation with profound respect and a clear mission: to take the partnership between our two… pic.twitter.com/IMdDUKyOnT— ANI (@ANI) January 12, 2026
Gor as US Ambassador to India
On August 22, 2025, President Trump nominated Gor as the U.S. Ambassador to India and Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs. The U.S. Senate confirmed him in October 2025.
His portfolio covers bilateral cooperation with India and broader regional affairs in South and Central Asia, areas spanning trade, defense, technology, and geopolitical strategy.
Why Gor’s visit matters for India-US ties
The India-US ties have been reeling under severe stress after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional duty for India’s purchase of Russian crude oil. India had described the US tariff action as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable". There have been efforts by both sides in the last couple of months to firm up a proposed trade deal, which could address India’s concerns over tariffs.
Senator Lindsey Graham recently announced that President Donald Trump has approved a Russian sanctions bill designed to pressure Moscow to end its war with Ukraine. The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 is a proposed U.S. law that would authorise extremely stringent sanctions on Russia and nations trading with it, especially in the context of the Ukraine war. Its most striking feature is its call for unprecedented tariffs, at least 500%, on imports from Russia and some of its major trading partners, a step with wide-ranging diplomatic and economic implications. The Act’s tariff provisions could create significant trade friction with major economies that continue to buy Russian energy, such as India, China, and Brazil.
Gor’s arrival in India comes days after a fresh row erupted between the two sides following US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s claim that the proposed trade deal between the two countries couldn’t be sealed last year as Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not make a telephone call to President Donald Trump. New Delhi rejected the claim and described Lutnick’s remarks as “inaccurate".
Apart from tariff, the relations witnessed a downturn on a number of other issues, including Trump’s claim of ending the India-Pakistan conflict in May last year and Washington’s new immigration policy.
“I’m trusting Sergio to help strengthen one of our country’s most important international relationships and that’s the strategic partnership with India," Trump had said after Gor’s oath ceremony.
Gor had described his new role as “an honour of a lifetime" and said he looks forward to “enhancing" the relationship between the US and India. Gor had visited India for six days in October, days after his appointment was confirmed by the Senate. He had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during the visit.
With Agency Inputs
First Published:
January 12, 2026, 12:54 IST
News world US Ambassador Sergio Gor: A Trump Loyalist Entrusted With Restructuring India-America Ties
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